Jesse m



(No Model.)

' J. M; GOFPIELD.

HAND TRUCK N0. 499,2 1Z. PatentedJune 13, 1893. Y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE M. COFFIELD, OF BELLAIRE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ISAAC L. FAWCETT, OF SAME PLACE.

HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,212, dated June 13, 1893.

Application filed December 8, 1892- Serial No. 454,462- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that'I, J ESSE M. COFFIELD, residing at Bellaire, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to improvements in hand trucks; and it has for its object to pro- Vide a simple and inexpensive truck, of great durability, and capable of use for handling almost any kind of merchandise in bulk.

With other objects in view, all of which I will hereinafter be apparent, my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will here- 7 inafter be fully described in the specification and particularly pointed outin the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved truck, showing the shoe or head ad justed to receive barrels and the like. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, with the shoe adjusted to receive boxes, bags and the like. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 38, Fig. 1. Fig.4 is

a perspective view of the adjustable grip or dog which engages the upper edge of the barrel or box; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the shoe-holding pawl or detent, hereinafter more specifically referred to.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A A indicate the side bars of my improved truck which are mounted at one end upon the truck wheels B B, their other ends being formed into handle members a a, as shown.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that the said side bars have their greatest width at the bottom where the truck axle B bar 0 having a concaved face 0 When the truck is to be used for handling boxes and the like, the'shoe O is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2, and when in such position the pointed lugs G bear against the axle B and serve as braces for the said shoe. When, however, the truck is to be used for handling barrels and the like, the shoe is thrown backward to the position shown in Fig. 1,'and when so adjusted the pointed lugs are projected upward and form elfective rests and fasteners to receive the lower end of the barrel or box,the concaved face of the cross bar 0 accommodating the horizontal curve of the barrel. To hold such shoe to its reversed position, a springactuated pawl or detent F is provided,the particular construction of which is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that such. pawl F is seated for vertical movement in a way, G, formed by the transverse bar a and a pair of longitudinal bars a spaced apart to form the way G, and which connect at their upper end with a second transverse bar a connecting the side bars A at a point a little below the handle portions.

The detent F consists of a vertical portion f having a catchy" at its lower end beveled on its front face, a transverse head portion f which ex-' tends to each side of and engages the upper edge of the transverse bar a to limit the downward movement of suchlatch, and a rearwardly projecting portion f which forms the handle; any suitably arranged spring being employed to hold the latch down, such, for instance, as shown'at H in the drawings.

It will be readily seen by reference to the aforesaid Fig. 2 that as the detent engages the shoe it will be impossible for such shoe ICO to turn upon its axis unless such detent is v nally as at J, the lower front edge terminating in a pair of outwardly projecting prongs 9' while the upper front edge has outwardly projecting ears J Pivoted at j" in the slot J is a gravity hook K, the point or toe of which projects forward, and when closed in fits in the slot J between the prongs J while its rear end terminates in a heel K which, when the said hook is held to an outward position, projects to the rear of the body J, as shown.

Pivoted between the ears J 3 is a cam lever L, the cam face L of which extends to the rear of its pivot and engages the heel K of the dog K, while its handle portion L extends outward as shown.

By providing an upper latch or dog constructed as described, the same is capable of vertical adjustment in the way, G, to engage barrels or boxes of different lengths, such dog being in practice so adjusted relatively to the box or barrel that its prongs J will engage and bite into the upper end of such barrel or other package, while the gravity hook will drop over the upper edge of such barrel or package; and by arranging the hook and the lever with the heel and cam portions as shown, it is obvious that as soon as the said lever is swung upward its cam portion will bear upon the heel K of the kook K and quickly lift it from engagement with the package it is hooked onto.

Upon the under edge of the side bars A A, near the handle ends, supporting legs M M are secured, which are secured to such bars in the manner shown and are of such length as to give the side bars a slight incline when set to rest on such legs.

N N indicate guard plates on the lower end of the side bars which project over the wheels, as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the manner in which my improved truck may be used, and the advantages of its construction, will be readily apparent. The same is capable of use in transporting barrels, boxes, bags or any other class of packages usually trans ported by this class of trucks.

By providing a reversible shoe, the same can be quickly adjusted to provide for an efiective means for supporting and holding the lower end of the barrel and for holding it from longitudinal movement after it is laid thereon, as the projecting lugs bite into such end; and owing to the curvature of the transverse bar formed integral with lugs, such bar has a betterbearing surface, it fitting more securely around the barrel. Furthermore, when the shoe is turned outward to adapt the truck for its more general use, such pointed lugs form the braces for the shoe, they abutting the axle as before stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hand truck, comprising a main frame, having a longitudinal guide way, a shoe hung for reversible movement in the end of the frame, having a projecting bearing portion and a detent longitudinally movable in the guideway, and adapted to engage the under side of the projecting portion of the shoe, and hold it to its reversed or inwardly adjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A hand truck, comprising a main frame, having a longitudinal guide way,a shoe held for reversible movement in the lower end of the main frame, and formed with an outwardly projecting bearing portion, a detent vertically movable in the guide way and arranged to be moved up in the guide way by the shoe when swung to its reversed position and to drop to engage the rear face of the projecting portion of such shoe, to hold it to its reversed position, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a truck, the combination with the side bars A, and the axle B, of the shoe 0 hung for reversible movement in the ends of the arms A A, said shoe having a bearing portion 0 formed with pointed projections O adapted to form stops to engage the axles Bwhen the shoe is adjusted to one position, and to form clamp prongs to engage the barrel or box when the shoe is adjusted to its other potion, substantially as and for the purpose described. V

4. In a truck, substantially as described, the combination with the side bars and the axle, of a pivoted supporting shoe, having a main bearing portion 0, and asupplemental bearing portion 0 on its under side having a concaved edge 0 and means for holding the said shoe to its adjusted positions, substan- 'tially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a truck, the combination with the side bars A A, and the axle B, of the shoe or support 0 formed with a main portion 0', and a supplemental portion C having a concaved front edge 0 terminating in pointed stops 0 such stops adapted to engage the axle B when the shoe 0 is in one position, and a detent for holding the shoe to its other or reversed position, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In connection with the main frame, the adjustable dog or pawl J, formed with pointed lugs J J, a gravity dog K, and a pivoted cam L, all arranged substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE M. COFFIELD.

Witnesses:

J. M. RICHARDSON, FRANK S. MASON. 

